


Unimportant

by RedParrot



Series: The Greater Good - Part Two [5]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Minor Character Death, Strong Language, Swearing, argument
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:47:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24840286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedParrot/pseuds/RedParrot
Summary: Some unfortunate news has far reaching affects on the family. Will they come together or fall apart?
Series: The Greater Good - Part Two [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1738087
Comments: 4
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry - I have been very horrible to them all...

It was the same after every heat. Sammy and whichever Alpha he had been with would have to wait those tense few days until he could take the test. He remembered the waiting after he had been with Daniel had always been worse. The pressure for the older Alpha to father a child had only grown each time they were together. 

Until the good news that he had done it. The previous time they had shared a heat had been the last chance Daniel would have had to get Sammy pregnant. The tension that time had been horrible. Sammy had known before he took the test that he was pregnant, but Clive had warned him off telling Daniel in case he was wrong. Those few days were awful. 

But this time… This time there was no pressure. It had been the first heat Sammy had shared with either of his mates where there was no pressure to get pregnant or not to get pregnant. Sammy knew it would be a bit of an upheaval if he had fallen pregnant again, but they would muddle through. The children’s sleeping arrangements would have to be changed, but they were all used to sleeping dormitory-style anyway so they doubted the youngsters would mind. 

Sammy smiled as he recalled the morning, he could not find Henry in his bedroom. The little Alpha had snuck into his older brother's room and was curled up in the bed with Peter. Despite being a couple of years younger than his brothers Henry was very much part of their gang. 

He glanced at the test lying on the windowsill in the en suite before looking at his watch. 

Three minutes to wait. 

The family was settled in Skulthorpe Manor now. They could cope with one or two more children. The large garden that Clive was lovingly looking after had already been the scene of a few epic pretend battles between all the Alpha’s regardless of their ages. George had been invited to join in the rough and tumble but had declined preferring to help with the twin girls instead. It had been a joy to watch the whole family busy in the large walled garden. Clive in his greenhouse directing Meg with various jobs. The Alpha’s playing their war games and the Omegas and the twins enjoying slightly more sedate pastimes. Little George had taken great delight in being the one that had held Isabelle’s hand the first time she stood up shakily. It was only for a few seconds before she plopped back down to the floor giggling. 

Two minutes to wait.

The twins were growing up fast, thought Sammy. Clive had told him that the development of babies since the evolutionary leap was different. They had spurts of growth and the different sexes matured at different ages. Henry was enjoying a bit of a growth spurt, probably helped by living with his older brothers. But boys developed quicker than girls. The twins would get there, just not as quick as the boys had. Sammy supposed it was because females did not need to rush. Their bodies did not need to prepare for sex and pregnancies. 

One minute to wait. 

Sammy slowly stood up; he had been sitting on the edge of the bed swinging his feet about. The fact that he could not reach the floor when he sat on the bed was a source of gentle good-natured teasing from Jamie. The tall Alpha would always smirk and remind him that his short stature was why Daniel referred to him as his ‘little Omega’. Sammy was a little shorter than average. But it had not stopped him. His first pregnancy might have been difficult, but he had persevered. 

He glanced at his watch and walked up to the test. 

Did he want to be pregnant? 

He turned the test over.

Negative.

Sammy looked at the test for several seconds before he sniffed and wiped at a tear. He still was not sure if he had wanted to be pregnant. But now that he knew for certain that he was not he was upset. Missing something he had never had in the first place. 

‘You alright?’ asked Daniel from the open doorway.

Sammy nodded with another sniff. Daniel smiled sadly and wandered across the room. He wrapped his Omega into a firm hug. Sammy wilted a little in his Alpha’s arms. Daniel guided him back to sit on the bed.

‘It’s probably for the best,’ said Sammy. ‘Best to let all the children get properly settled. Jamie should hear about Brian and Mary any day now…’

Daniel squeezed him tighter, ‘it’s OK to feel sad, Sammy,’ he said. 

Sammy nodded and leaned into his Alpha a little more.

A~B~O

_A couple of days later… ___

__Clive exchanged a glance with Sammy who raised his eyebrows with a smile. Little George had pretty much pushed Clive out of the way. The young Omega had not realised what he had done, but gradually he had eased his way in front of Clive and was now gently splashing water onto baby Rachel._ _

__The twins did not mind who bathed them, they were ultimately under Sammy’s watchful eyes. Clive had been kneeling next to the bath distracting baby Isabelle whilst Sammy carefully rinsed the soap from her hair. George had somehow managed to slip in front of Clive and left him with no room to continue to help._ _

__Sammy indicated that he was alright and would be able to keep an eye on both the girls, who were safe in their bath seats. They knew George would not let anything happen to them, he would alert Sammy the instant there was a problem. He may have been a young Omega, but George knew what he was doing and knew his limitations._ _

__Clive quietly retreated from the en suite and wandered down the stairs. He paused at Meg’s office and peered in. The computer was off, and her papers had been tidied away. The area set aside for Henry to create his colourful masterpieces still had crayons scattered across it. After glancing at his watch Clive guessed Meg had packed up for the day. He quietly walked through to the second set of stairs and walked up to their bedrooms. He was sure no one had spotted him from the sitting room._ _

__The old house had been extended several years before; the two additional bedrooms were not linked to the other first floor bedrooms. The layout might have been awkward to some families but had worked in their favour. Clive and Meg could have some privacy from the others. When Meg had suggested they take the two bedrooms she had looked at him and winked. He had struggled to hide a smile. He knew full well why she had suggested it. None of the rest of the family really had a reason to go up to the two bedrooms over the kitchen._ _

__They rarely used both the bedrooms; Clive generally slept with Meg in the bigger of the two rooms. His belongings were in his own bedroom so for propriety's sake all was correct. They were sleeping together regularly, and Clive could not be happier. They continued to keep their relationship secret for the sake of the rest of the family and Meg’s parliamentary position. Clive had to occasionally remind Meg that the scandal of their relationship could cause her problems at work and her work was so vital that he had no problem being her secret lover._ _

__He pushed the door of his small bedroom open and picked up the jumper he had left on the bed before looking around for his phone which he had left charging. Remembering that it was in Meg’s room he wandered through to the bigger room._ _

__He found Meg sat on the edge of the bed staring at her phone. His lover was wrapped in a bath towel; her long black hair had been roughly dried and now hung untidily over her shoulders. She did not look happy._ _

__‘What’s up?’_ _

__Meg looked up, she was obviously upset or annoyed about something. Clive sat on the bed next to her, pulling her into a loose embrace. She leaned into him a little._ _

__‘It’s Sylvie,’ she said with a sigh. ‘She’s still trying to get me to go out with her. I had to hide at work yesterday to avoid her.’_ _

__‘Why don’t you just tell her?’ said Clive. ‘She’d be fine about it, she’s as progressive as you are.’_ _

__Meg shook her head, ‘I know she is... ‘_ _

__‘But…’_ _

__‘But what if me sleeping with a Beta male is the thing that she doesn’t approve of. What if it drives her away? She’s my best mate. I love her,’ Meg paused and chuckled. ‘Not like that.’_ _

__Clive realised he had looked a bit shocked. He smiled and reached up to push a few hairs off his lovers face and brush a trickle of water away from her cheek. She looked at him for a second before leaning in for a kiss._ _

__‘Could you invent a girlfriend?’ suggested Clive when Meg leaned back._ _

__‘I don’t want to lie to her… any more than I already am.’_ _

__Clive tried to think of something else Meg could do. Sylvie was a good woman, although she had become a bit pushy with her flirtatious overtures towards Meg in recent weeks. Clive wondered what had happened to make Sylvie so keen to have Meg as her girlfriend or lover. The two women had been good friends for years, Clive knew that Meg had fancied Sylvie for a while. He had never really understood attraction. He had only ever fancied Meg. He knew that in the past people had often gone through several relationships during their lifetimes and that sometimes people who had been attracted to each other could still maintain friendships when that attraction ended. It was all a bit of a mystery to him._ _

__‘We’ll work something out,’ he said. ‘There is always a solution.’_ _

__Meg smiled, ‘you have to find the positive about everything don’t you.’_ _

__Clive shrugged, ‘we Beta’s are the most oppressed sex, if we don’t look for the positives, we’d be nothing.’_ _

__Meg glanced at the door, which was still ajar before looking back at Clive with that look that told him she wanted him. He smiled and kissed her before going to the door and after listening for a few seconds closed and locked it._ _

__They had deliberately not told the rest of the family about their relationship as they did not want to put them under the pressure of keeping their secret as well. They were sure the family would have no objection to the supposedly taboo affair. They were all very open-minded._ _

__Clive turned back to find Meg brushing her hair._ _

__‘If I don’t it will get tangled and take twice as long to sort out,’ she said._ _

__‘We’ll have to be quick,’ remarked Clive. ‘I heard Danny in the kitchen with his pots and pans. You know what he’s like.’_ _

__‘He does like a family meal, doesn’t he,’ chuckled Meg as she lay the hairbrush down on the dressing table and looked at Clive with hungry eyes._ _

__Clive had quickly kicked off his shoes and was busy undoing his belt. Meg appeared in front of him tugging his t-shirt up._ _

__‘Give me a bloody chance,’ scolded Clive with a laugh as he was forced to abandon his trousers in favour of losing his t-shirt._ _

__Meg leaned in for another kiss, allowing the bath towel to drop to the floor in a pile as she did so. Clive fumbled his way out of his belt and undid his trousers pushing them down as Meg edged backwards towards the bed. Clive smiled as she giggled._ _

__‘Looks like you’re raring to go,’ said Meg with an exaggerated look at his hard cock._ _

__Clive pushed his trousers off and kicked them aside. He stalked towards Meg as she shuffled up the bed to get comfortable. When they had first started sleeping together, he had been nervous and hesitant. The concept of sleeping with a woman was very odd to him. He had thought he was not allowed to. Meg had been the one that had first suggested that they sleep together, although she had been a little tipsy and quite vulgar in her description at the time. Now that they were in, what he would describe, as a committed relationship, he had learned to relax and thoroughly enjoy their times together. From the quick fucks to the long drawn out lovemaking._ _

__Meg had draped herself across the bed in an attempt to look seductive but her cheeky grin spoiled the allusion. Clive did not care, he loved her when she was demure, and he loved her when she was fast and loose._ _

__As he climbed onto the bed and leaned over his lover he could not help smiling, remembering how happy he was._ _

__A~B~O_ _

__Jamie clicked the link that took him to the next website, he was working through several builders' sites looking for the best prices for various things that they needed for the business. Daniel had given him a list of what they needed and asked him to do the research. Jamie enjoyed the responsibility. Daniel had been true to his word and was including him in all aspects of the business. Now that he was fully recovered from his fall Jamie was back working, although Daniel had insisted on easing him back in._ _

__He looked up from the laptop, watching Peter and Henry wandering across the kitchen to Daniel. The boys looked a little guilty about something. Jamie wondered what they had done, he also wondered why they wanted to tell Daniel and not him. It was true the boys seemed to think of them both as their father, but Jamie did hold a little more sway over them. Whatever they had done obviously affected Daniel more._ _

__Daniel was busy adding stock to the rice for the risotto he was making. He glanced at the boys as they approached him._ _

__‘I’m a little busy at the moment lads,’ he said with a smile. ‘What do you want?’_ _

__Peter looked down and shuffled on his feet a little._ _

__‘You can tell me,’ said Daniel as he ladled more stock into the saucepan. ‘It’s better to come clean straight away.’_ _

__Daniel glanced at Jamie and winked. They knew they had to be fairly firm with the young Alpha’s but were determined to be fair with them and bring them up knowing that they could talk to the adults and should not hide away any issues they had._ _

__‘I’m sorry, Danny,’ said Peter quietly._ _

__‘He didn’t mean to knock it over,’ said Henry who looked just as worried as his older brother._ _

__‘What have you knocked over?’ asked Daniel._ _

__‘The gappy wood wall.’_ _

__‘The trellis along the outside wall?’ asked Daniel._ _

__Peter nodded._ _

__‘Were you climbing it again? You know you shouldn’t be climbing it. Did you hurt yourself?’_ _

__Peter held up his hand. Jamie could not see the injury. Daniel shook his head to show he was upset. Both the boys were looking at the floor. Jamie could tell Peter was close to crying._ _

__‘Jamie,’ said Daniel, ‘could you watch the risotto for me? Just add the stock slowly and keep stirring it.’_ _

__Jamie nodded, ‘I hope you two are going to help Danny fix the trellis. Clive won’t be happy. You know he wants to get some more plants growing along that wall.’_ _

__Peter nodded with a sniff and wiped his eyes with his fingers._ _

__Daniel was struggling not to laugh as he ushered the boys from the room. Jamie was proud of his boys for confessing straight away about the accident._ _

__Jamie picked up the ladle and spooned some more of the tasty smelling stock into the risotto. He slowly stirred the rice around, enjoying the steam enveloping him as he worked. He could understand why Daniel enjoyed the cooking so much. His friend would not let anyone else cook if he was around and when he was not working would often be found baking bread and other treats for the family._ _

__‘What have you done with Danny?’ asked Clive as he appeared beside him and sniffed the pot with a satisfied hum._ _

__‘Don’t get annoyed,’ replied Jamie, ‘but the boys have knocked your trellis over again. He’s gone to help them put it back up.’_ _

__Clive sighed, ‘boys… no Alphas. You’re all the same… always in trouble.’_ _

__Jamie chuckled._ _

__‘Can I look up the forecast for the next few days?’ asked Clive with a glance at the laptop on the table._ _

__Jamie nodded as he continued to add the stock, getting into a rhythm with the spoon, watching the creamy risotto forming in front of him._ _

__‘You’ve got an email from the repatriation people,’ said Clive who had taken Jamie’s seat at the table._ _

__‘Read it for me,’ said Jamie, unable to hide a smile. ‘It’ll be about Brian and Mary. It must be the date we can go and get them… you still want to go with me?’_ _

__‘Course I do,’ said Clive with a grin. ‘I’m looking forward to it.’_ _

__Jamie waited whilst Clive clicked the mouse a couple of times to open the email. Clive started reading the email out loud._ _

__‘Mr Atwood,’ read Clive. ‘We are writing to inform you that Mary Atwood will be available for collection from Tuesday 10th July…’ Clive paused, ‘they put the address and contact details…’_ _

__‘What about Brian?’ asked Jamie. ‘The boys were together when we picked them up. And there were girls there then.’_ _

__Clive was looking through the email, ‘here we are…’_ _

__He read a few lines. Jamie watched Clive’s expression turn from one of slight confusion to one of incomprehension and shock._ _

__‘Clive?’_ _

__‘...um it says… it says,’ Clive looked up at Jamie who had abandoned the risotto and was watching him carefully._ _

__‘Clive, what does it say?’_ _

__‘It says Brian died when he was four.’_ _


	2. Chapter 2

Jamie stared at Clive for several seconds before slowly turning back to the hob and turning the heat off. He stared at the still bubbling risotto for a few more seconds before turning back to Clive who was still looking at him. 

‘Read what it says,’ he asked quietly.

Clive nodded and looked back at the email.

‘It is with regret that we have to inform you that the Beta male named Brian Atwood died at the age of four.’

‘Is that it?’

Clive nodded.

‘One line?’

Clive nodded again.

‘What is that gorgeous smell?’ asked Meg as she walked into the room, tucking her shirt into her jeans as she went.

She stopped halfway towards the cooker and looked between the two men. It was Clive who broke the silence.

‘The email from the repatriation people’s arrived,’ he said.

‘That’s good isn’t it?’ said Meg who looked confused. ‘You’ve been looking forward to being Brian’s mentor…’

Clive shook his head, ‘Brian died four years ago.’

Jamie tuned out the rest of the conversation. He stared out of the window across the back garden. He watched a couple of sparrows hopping about on the patio looking for the seeds that had dropped from the bird table. He could still hear the food bubbling as the residual heat from the hob kept the saucepan warm.

He thought back to the day Brian and Mary had been born. The pregnancy and birth had been smooth. There had been no complications. Liam had sailed through the birthing process calmly and serenely. Jamie remembered being a nervous wreck until he got to hold his babies. He remembered the Omega midwife gently laying the baby boy in his arms. They had not settled on names until after the birth. The baby boy had looked up at him, he had not cried, just looked at him. Jamie had never felt so much love for another being. The nurse got him to sit down and put the baby girl in the crook of his other arm. He had looked at them both thinking about how different their lives would be.

Now he knew that Brian was dead. It was so sudden, although it was not, it had happened four and a half years before. Brian had been a happy smiley baby. He had interacted well with his sister. But now he was gone. But he had been gone for over four years, only alive in Jamie’s mind.

‘Come and sit down.’

Jamie looked down at Sammy who was trying to gently move him towards the sitting room. He allowed his Omega to guide him away from the kitchen. He was aware that Meg was sitting at the table looking at the laptop reading the email with Clive next to her. Meg had her arm around Clive who looked very pale. 

Sammy took Jamie to the sofa and sat him down. The Omega curled up next to him, his arms around his shoulders. Jamie leaned into Sammy a little. Jamie did not speak; he did not think he was capable. His son was dead. The son that had been cruelly taken from him when he was a year old. Jamie remembered having to hold Liam back as the protective terrified Omega tried to grab his babies back off the women. The same women who could only be bothered to afford Brian one line in an email now that he was gone. 

Jamie did not know how to feel. He had never known his son, had thought, until only a few months before that he never would know his son. He thought his son would grow up with the other severely oppressed Beta males and live a life of hardship unless he had started working in the same way Clive had. Jamie wondered if Brian would have grown up to want to offer his services in return for more freedom. What would his son have been like?

Jamie would never know.

‘Why are you crying?’ asked George who was standing in front of him. 

Jamie had not even noticed the boys appear in the room. Peter and Henry were standing a little further back, watching, almost warily.

‘Jamie’s had a shock,’ said Sammy calmly.

George lay his small hand on Jamie’s knee. Jamie managed a smile. George saw the smile as an invitation to help his Alpha further and scrambled onto the sofa next to him. The two young Alpha’s moved to perch on the sofa as well. 

Jamie took a deep breath, ‘you know that we were supposed to be getting your older brother and sister soon?’

The boys nodded. 

‘Mary and Brian,’ said Henry. ‘Brian is a Beta, like Clive.’

Jamie nodded, ‘that’s right,’ he said. ‘But I’ve just found out that Brian died.’

It took a few seconds for the news to sink in. The boys had an understanding of the concept of death. Peter and George knew that their Omega - Liam - had died when they were babies, they understood that the person that was dead could not come back. 

‘Is that why you’re sad?’ asked Peter.

Jamie nodded. He sniffed a couple of times. Henry jumped off the sofa and ran across the room to a box of tissues, he pulled a couple from the box and ran back, handing them to his Alpha who took them. 

‘Thank you,’ said Jamie. 

Sammy looked at the boys, ‘Jamie’s had a shock and needs to think about what’s happened,’ he said.

The boys all nodded slowly.

‘Will you be good boys and let him have a bit of quiet time? You can stay with him but don’t ask too many questions.’

George snuggled closer to Jamie who put his arm around the little boy. The two Alpha boys shifted to sit on the sofa, their legs stretched in front of them. Jamie was proud of his boys. They were coming together at a time of crisis, looking out for their pack.

With Sammy holding him on one side and George, Peter and Henry on the other Jamie felt loved and cared for, something he really needed at that moment as he continued to work through in his mind what he had just learned. 

It was odd that he had never expected to know the fate of his children, he wondered if that would have been preferable. But then he looked at his boys and knew it was not. 

A~B~O

Meg read through the email a second time. She was shocked at the callous one-line statement regarding Brian, but somehow, she was not surprised. Before the Repatriation Act had been passed the parents would not be given any updates regarding their children’s lives. She guessed the only reason the email contained the devastating news about Brian was because questions would be asked when Mary was collected. 

‘I like the way they’ve not bothered to change the last paragraph,’ muttered Clive. 

Meg glanced at him.

‘It still reads as if we’re going to collect two children, not one. I think the email Jamie and Sammy got about Henry was the same. It’s just a generic email with the names changed and that one line added about Brian. Heartless bitches…’ Clive looked at Meg, ‘sorry.’

‘No,’ said Meg, ‘some of us are bitches… a lot of us are bitches.’

She squeezed Clive. She wished she could show more affection, but the last thing the family needed at that moment was to draw attention to their affair. 

Sammy had appeared in the room a few seconds after she had learned the news no doubt drawn by his mate's distress. The Omega had quickly taken in what had happened and collected his mate and taken him off to sit down. Jamie had been staring out of the window, he had been shaking, tears silently falling from his eyes. Meg was sure he had no idea what had been going on around him. 

They could just about see Jamie, Sammy, and the boys curled up on the sofa together. Meg was sure it was just what Jamie needed at that moment. 

Daniel was by the hob, dealing with the abandoned dinner. He appeared to be lost in thought as he worked. Meg wondered if any of them would feel like eating when the food was ready. 

‘Do you think you could find out what happened?’ asked Clive.

‘Sorry?’

‘To Brian. Do you think you could find out what happened to him? I don’t know, it might help Jamie come to terms with it. And it might be something that could affect his other children.’

Meg thought for a few seconds, ‘I can try. Not sure I’ll get very far; I am an unelected minister after all. I don’t hold as much sway as the women that were voted into parliament.’

Clive nodded his understanding, ‘it’s just that Beta’s are the hardiest sex. On average we live the longest and have far fewer medical issues than Alphas or Omegas.’

Meg nodded, ‘I’ll go in tomorrow. I’ll make enquiries.’

Clive leaned into her a little, ‘thank you,’ he said.

Meg wondered what good it would do. It would not bring Brian back. She could tell the news had upset the men, but it had not affected her in the same way. She wondered if having all the emotions that the men did was bothersome. Or would she have been able to empathise with them all better? 

She was annoyed about the manner that the news had been passed to them though, and she intended to make a complaint about that. It seemed callous and careless. She would do what she, as a woman, did best. She would take charge and see what she could find out.

A~B~O

_The following afternoon… ___

__Jamie had not slept well despite Sammy staying with him overnight. His Omega had held him the entire night. It was odd that the big strong Alpha could be so weak that an Omega needed to look after him. Jamie knew that physically he was still strong, but mentally he felt wiped out._ _

__He had managed to eat a bit at dinner. The family had not said much, even the boys were quiet. George had sat next to him and spent a lot of time stroking his arm. Jamie had appreciated the gesture. The boy would grow up to be a very caring adult._ _

__Daniel did not make any comment when he cleared the plates away, most of them had left food, he did not admonish the boys for not finishing. They had quietly drifted away from the table. Sammy and Daniel had seen the boys and twins to bed. Meg and Clive had disappeared somewhere, and Jamie had remained sitting at the table._ _

__Sammy had eventually taken him to bed. And now, nearly a day after he had heard the news that Brian had died he was still reeling._ _

__He had been devastated when Liam died. The Omega had not been with them when he died, but Jamie had known, he had felt the bond they shared break. Daniel had felt that as well. Jamie wondered if there had been a moment four years before that he had felt the loss of Brian but not realised it. Were they bonded to their children in the same way? He was not sure if he should mourn for someone he did not know. He had only known Brian for a year; the baby had just been developing his own character when he had been taken by the state to be raised._ _

__For the first time in several hours, Jamie was alone. Sammy had been forced to leave him to deal with the twins. Clive was keeping an eye on the boys in the family room and Daniel had retreated to their workshop to make a few phone calls regarding the cottage renovation._ _

__His mind flipped between the turmoil of the news and wondering why it had hit him as hard as it had. He kept returning to the thought that he should not be mourning for someone he did not know. Why was he as upset as he was? He had been looking forward to getting Brian and Mary back. He was still looking forward to getting Mary back._ _

__How would Mary take the news? Did she even know she had a twin? She was eight years old. Females had more education than males so she would know that most pregnancies resulted in twins. Jamie knew that females did not bond as deeply with their twins as males did. Would she be upset? Would she care?_ _

__Meg had obviously been upset and angry at how the news of Brian’s death had been passed on, but she had not been outwardly emotional about it. Jamie had seen Meg get emotional, but it was only when something big happened. Women just did not have the same empathy as men did._ _

__Perhaps Mary would not be bothered at all?_ _

__His phone buzzed, indicating that he had been sent an email. He picked it up and swiped his finger across the screen, noting that he needed to give the phone a wipe over. It amused him that such small inconsequential things sprang into his mind._ _

__He opened up the app for his emails and saw the title._ _

__**Subject: Cause of Death for Brian Atwood (Beta). Case Number 12/4589** _ _

__He furrowed his brow. He wondered why he had been sent the email. A fresh wave of emotions flooded through him. He hesitated, unsure if he wanted to open the email._ _

__‘Jamie?’_ _

__He looked up to see Sammy in the doorway. He was tucking the baby monitor into his pocket as he watched him._ _

__‘There’s an email. It’s about Brian.’_ _

__Sammy reached out for the phone and looked at the message._ _

__‘Are you going to read it? Meg said she was going to see if she could get some more information-’_ _

__‘I thought she’d get the information though, not me.’_ _

__Sammy sat next to Jamie who put his arm around his Omega and pulled him in closer. Sammy shifted until he was comfortable._ _

__‘Would you like me to read it?’ asked Sammy._ _

__Jamie was very proud of Sammy, who had taken charge, yet again, of the horrible situation. The Omega really was the most important sex. They not only carried the babies, but they were the ones that really looked after everyone._ _

__Jamie took a breath and nodded, ‘I think I’d like to know. Clive was right, it might be something hereditary that could affect the boys…’_ _

__Sammy tapped the phone and waited for the email to open. Jamie could not read it due to the light reflecting on the surface of the phone._ _

__‘It’s a lot of technical words, I don’t think you were meant to get this,’ said Sammy._ _

__‘Or they thought they could baffle me because I struggle with reading…’_ _

__Sammy rested his hand on Jamie’s leg and squeezed. Jamie had never had many issues with his limited reading ability. He could read well enough to follow what was going on in most news and magazine articles. He could read a book; it took him a while but he did not mind that. The only real stumbling block was official papers and contracts. He was lucky that Sammy was very switched on and could help him out when he got stuck and never teased him about it. None of the family did. Meg had even asked if he would like some extra tuition once, at the time he did not see the point._ _

__‘There are words here that don’t make any sense to me,’ remarked Sammy. ‘I’m going to have to look some of them up. I think strep-to-coc-cus py-o-genes might have something to do with infections.’_ _

__Sammy had sounded out the medical words slowly. Jamie wondered if he would have even managed that. He allowed his mate to escape his embrace and wander off to the kitchen. He watched Sammy open up the laptop and log on._ _

__‘I’m going to forward the email to my account. Is that alright?’ called Sammy from the other room._ _

__Jamie nodded, ‘thank you,’ he said._ _

__He wondered what Sammy would find out. He hoped Brian had not suffered. He hoped that whatever it was had been quick. He did not like the idea that his son had died alone, let alone died in distress._ _

__A~B~O_ _

__‘But that’s not fatal,’ said Daniel incredulously._ _

__He had returned from catching up on the paperwork and phone calls for his business to find Sammy and Jamie sat at the kitchen table looking at various medical websites. They had been looking up the medical words on the report Jamie had been emailed._ _

__‘Lots of kids get that don’t they?’_ _

__‘I don’t think many Omegas get it,’ said Sammy with a slight shrug. ‘Perhaps it’s a Beta thing?’_ _

__‘But still,’ said Jamie, ‘it sounds like he died very quickly.’_ _

__‘Sorry Jamie,’ said Daniel._ _

__Jamie shook his head, ‘we weren’t there. We couldn’t have done anything.’_ _

__Daniel hated seeing his friend upset. The Alpha had taken the loss very hard. When he had suggested that morning that Jamie take some time off the younger man had not complained, he had simply nodded and wandered away._ _

__He remembered how he felt when Liam had died. Of course, he had spent many years with Liam, they had bonded. But was that any different? Brian had been Jamie’s son and even though they had not been together Jamie would have still thought about the little boy. Daniel thought about his twins and even in the few months since they had been born, he knew he would die for them._ _

__They heard the back door open and close as Meg returned from work. She walked through to the kitchen and dropped her bags on the floor by the door. She looked angry._ _

__‘I am so sorry, Jamie,’ she said. ‘I didn’t know they were going to send that email directly to you…’_ _

__‘It’s alright,’ Jamie said. ‘At least we have an answer now.’_ _

__Meg smiled sadly, ‘and not hereditary… which I suppose is good news.’_ _

__Daniel watched Jamie give a small nod._ _

__‘I still can’t believe he died of a sore throat,’ said Clive who was sitting in the window seat looking at his phone. ‘I’ve looked it up, it’s really easy to deal with. Barely anyone dies of it anymore. Some antibiotics and he’d have been fine.’_ _

__‘We don’t know that Clive,’ said Meg._ _

__Daniel noticed that Clive did not respond to Meg, he continued to look at his phone, scrolling through something slowly. The Beta’s breathing had sped up a bit and he looked annoyed. Meg waited a few seconds for a response before returning to pick up her bags and leaving the room. Clive glanced up as she walked away, Daniel could not work out what was bothering his friend. He decided they were all on edge and struggling to deal with the news._ _

__He wandered over to the window and looked across the lawn to the check on the boys who were running around. Daniel could not work out the rules of whatever game they had made up but as it was keeping them occupied, he decided to leave them to it. Earlier in the afternoon, George had wanted to spend more time with Jamie, but Sammy had assured the little Omega that his Alpha would be fine just knowing he was nearby. Satisfied, George had gone off with his Alpha brothers on their garden adventure._ _

__‘Shall we order a takeaway?’ asked Meg, who had returned having changed out of her work clothes into jeans and a green polo shirt._ _

__‘It says here,’ said Clive without looking up from his phone, ‘that illnesses in Beta’s are lower priority.’_ _

__They all looked at Clive._ _

__‘It says on this government medical website,’ continued Clive. ‘That if a Beta male becomes ill he will be cared for but only as long as that care does not leave an Omega or an Alpha in need of care.’_ _

__Daniel glanced at the others. Jamie and Clive looked stunned. Meg’s expression was unreadable._ _

__Clive looked annoyed, ‘It says on this document from a government medical website that I had to download and scroll through for some time… that regardless of the treatability of the illness, infection, or injury the Beta male will not be prioritised over an Omega or Alpha… There’s an example…’_ _

__Clive glanced up, once he was sure they were all paying attention to him he continued._ _

__‘If a Beta male - of any age - presents with severe influenza - he should be treated accordingly, however, if an Omega male - of any age - presents with a mild fever or simple broken bone, they will take priority. This will be the case regardless of the severity of the Beta’s condition.’_ _

__‘Are you saying that if I had a broken finger and you had a burst appendix… I would get treated first?’ asked Sammy._ _

__Clive nodded._ _

__Daniel noticed that Meg looked a little uncomfortable, she was not looking at any of them. Clive had looked towards her several times._ _

__‘And…’ said Clive, ‘if treatment is left for more than two days due to other priorities and the chances of survival drop below 60 per cent… no treatment will be given. Palliative care will be offered if necessary.’_ _

__‘That can’t be right,’ said Jamie._ _

__Daniel could almost see the whirling thoughts in his friend's mind as fresh tears formed in his eyes. Sammy shifted closer to him as the reality of what might have happened to Brian sank in for them all._ _

__‘You know this goes on,’ said Clive slowly._ _

__Daniel looked at Meg who finally looked at Clive. For a few seconds, she did nothing before she nodded once._ _

__‘You know that Beta males are dying needlessly. From injuries and illnesses that could be easily dealt with. Babies are dying because they are not as important.’_ _

__Meg did not say anything, she merely looked at Clive, an uncomfortable, guilty, look on her face._ _

__Daniel had never seen Clive so angry. If anything, Clive was the most submissive of them all. But not at that moment, at that moment Clive was angry and all his anger was directed at Meg._ _

__'You knew this happened? You knew and did fuck all to stop it. Are Beta so worthless that even progressives don't care?'_ _

__Clive had taken a couple of steps towards Meg who looked a little worried._ _

__'I can't stop everything, Clive, I have to prioritise-'_ _

__Meg stopped herself realising the use of the word was inappropriate at that moment._ _

__'And Betas are third on the list after the breeders,' spat Clive._ _

__'Clive,' said Daniel calmly, 'you know she does what she can-'_ _

__Clive turned to look at Daniel._ _

__'You're alright, she's looking out for you. Betas are nothing, they're probably pleased when one of us dies in childhood. One less mouth to feed…'_ _

__Daniel stared at Clive, his expression one of shock. He could not come up with a response._ _

__‘This was probably the compromise that stopped that Euthanasia Bill from going through isn’t it?’ asked Clive with an exaggerated tilt of his head. ‘We’ll just let a few die naturally, that will thin them out a bit… Is that what the bitches decided?’_ _

__‘Clive… I…’_ _

__‘What, Meg? I can’t believe you fuck me one minute and condemn me the next. Is the sex just a pastime for you? Is it fun to shag a Beta? A bit taboo… a bit daring… And all the while you're probably telling your mates at work about it. Do you all laugh?’_ _

__Meg looked mortified, her cheeks had reddened, she glanced around the room. Daniel was not sure what he should do. He knew he could physically overpower Clive with ease but the worked-up man would only see that as confirmation of what he was saying._ _

__‘We’re nothing to you, are we? Poor Brian and all the other lads in the Beta homes…’ Clive sniffed, tears spilling from his wet eyes, ‘I remember how shit it was in there. I remember how we didn’t have access to much. You know what it’s like?’_ _

__Clive looked at Sammy, who was still in front of the laptop._ _

__‘Look up Victorian lunatic asylums,’ he said. ‘It’s just an existence. If we don’t want to work… work…’ Clive shook his head. ‘If we don’t want to let Alpha’s fuck us… no… let them rape us… that’s where we stay.’_ _

__Daniel felt himself reddening._ _

__‘Clive,’ he said, ‘I thought you were…’_ _

__Clive looked at him, ‘I offered you my services… because I had said I would because I love my family… and actually Danny… letting you fuck me showed me that all those times before… I really was letting myself be used.’_ _

__‘Clive,’ said Meg, ‘I am trying to get you… to get Beta’s more rights… you know I’ve got things on the go… but the Repatriation Act…’_ _

__‘Yeah… the breeders getting all the attention again… you know why Betas are so persecuted?’_ _

__Meg did not respond._ _

__‘Because we’re the closest to what you are. Fucking useless. The only reason you bitches can get away with it is because there aren’t that many of us. We’re an easy target.’_ _

__Meg looked away._ _

__‘And if you think you’re going to get to fuck me again when you want it… think again. I’d sooner go back into service or back to the home than fuck your useless shrivelled up cunt again.’_ _

__Meg looked as though she wanted the world to swallow her up. She looked so utterly embarrassed and humiliated Daniel wondered if she would ever recover._ _

__‘Little Brian died because he was nothing to you. He could have been assessed and treated and recovered. He could be coming home next week. But you denied that-’_ _

__'Clive, please,' said Jaime with a sniff._ _

__Clive looked at Jaime for a few seconds before walking from the room. They heard the back door open and close._ _


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The word ‘pissed’ is used in the British sense to mean ‘a bit drunk’.

The rest of the family were silent for several seconds. None of them moved, none of them looked at each other. Jamie sniffed a couple of times, the only sound as they gathered themselves. Clive’s anger, all aimed at Meg had been a shock to them all. 

Sammy wondered if the family could ever recover from the accusations. 

‘We weren’t taking advantage of him, were we?’ asked Daniel, his words a little stilted. ‘He came to me… it was when you were pregnant with Henry. I was struggling with my rut. He offered to let me… use him…’

Sammy could not think of a time when he had seen Daniel looking shocked and confused before. His mate, the head of the family, was always so sure of himself.

‘I don’t think any of that was aimed at you, Danny,’ said Meg quietly.

She looked a bit lost standing in the middle of the room, Sammy could see she was shaking a bit.

‘We didn’t tell you,’ she said, ‘because we didn’t want you to have to keep the secret as well. We knew it would cause problems for us… and me at work…’

‘Meg,’ said Daniel, ‘we know you’re in a relationship with him.’

Meg stared at Daniel, then looked towards Jamie and Sammy. Sammy nodded.

‘I think because he’s helped us both, Daniel, through his rut and me through my heat, we’re more in tune with him. And you try to hide it when you’re together… but really, you’re not very good.’

Sammy managed a little smile as he spoke. It had been strange watching them both, the little touches, the looks that lasted longer than they should. Jamie had not believed him at first but then started to notice the way they were with each other. They knew why the pair had not told them, they understood the taboo nature of the relationship and that it could jeopardize the hard work Meg was doing to make their lives better.

‘Is it true… What he said about Betas?’ asked Jamie.

Meg looked down for a few seconds before nodding, ‘it is something I’m trying to get changed, but everything got pushed aside when I finally got the Repatriation Bill through. And then they made me the minister in charge of it… I wonder if they hoped I would stop all the other things I was working on…’

Daniel was looking at the back door, ‘someone should go after him…’

They all looked at each other.

‘Well it can’t be me,’ said Meg, ‘I don’t think he’ll ever talk to me again…’

They were all silent again for a few seconds. Jamie was still crying quietly; Sammy slipped his arm around him. Sammy could feel the confusion mixed in with the grief from his mate. Jamie needed to grieve, not watch his pack tear themselves apart in front of him.

‘Perhaps it would be better if I left for a few days. I could probably stay with Phoebe… she’d understand… I think…’

Phoebe Walker, the women that had sold them, Skulthorpe Manor, had remained in touch with them and intended to visit them once the cottage had been renovated. Meg had visited her several times at her new flat in the centre of London. 

‘Meg,’ said Daniel, ‘you can’t stay away for too long, you’ll have to face this, you know that.’

Meg looked at Daniel blankly for a few moments.

Daniel continued, ‘you’re his guardian… if the authorities find out you’re not living in the same house as him, they’ll take him away… unless he does go back into service.’

Meg gave a little gasp as the gravity of what was happening hit her. 

‘What have I done? I should never have started it… I shouldn’t have led him on… I was a bit pissed that first time… but… so was he… it was fun… and then it carried on…’

Daniel walked up to Meg and rested his hand on her shoulder for a few seconds before pulling her in for a hug, Sammy could tell she was overwhelmed by all that was going on.

‘You didn’t force him to sleep with you,’ said Daniel, ‘you were not like the Alpha’s that he used to offer his services to…’

Sammy could not see Meg’s face but could tell she was nodding.

Jamie shifted away from Sammy’s embrace and pushed himself up to stand.

‘I’ll go after Clive,’ he said. ‘I’m not going to try to change his mind. I’ll just try to get him to come back.’

He walked up to Meg, who looked at him with tears in her eyes.

‘We won’t come back until you’re gone. But you mustn’t go away for more than a couple of days. We need to stay together. We’re a family. And that’s what matters more. He knows you’re doing your best for us… for males… I think knowing what happened to Brian has been a bit of a wake-up call to us all. We’re really lucky as a family… and sometimes I think we forget that. And it’s because of you. I know you don’t do us any favours… but we do live a more privileged life than a lot of people.’

Meg managed a smile, Jamie pulled her into a hug and kissed her on the forehead, Sammy heard her thanking him for what he had said. As Jamie walked towards the back-door Sammy watched Meg wander off, he could hear her climbing the stairs to her bedroom. Daniel turned to look at him. 

‘How are we going to explain this to the boys?’ he asked. 

Sammy understood Daniel’s problem, he glanced over his shoulder at the boys who were still happily playing in the garden, oblivious to what had gone on. Their own excitement drowning out the scents the adults had to have been giving off during the confrontation. The boys were still young enough that they were not totally attuned to other males. Sammy wished they could somehow hide the horrible events that had taken place. 

It had been bad enough explaining to them that they were never going to meet their older brother. And now Clive had created an atmosphere that was likely to stay with them for a long time. Sammy could not see how the Beta and Meg could reconcile. There was nothing Meg could do; they all knew that different priorities came and went. The manner that Betas were treated was awful, but Meg was only one woman, she could not do everything. She had a team of other progressives working with her, but she was the one that had the most impactful voice in the Government. 

Poor Clive would have to decide to either get on with living with Meg, go back to the home and live out a life of even more oppression, or go back into service and perhaps afford a one-room bedsit in a grotty corner of a city somewhere. 

Clive’s options were limited, and he knew it. Sammy did not envy him. 

Then there was the grieving that Jamie needed to do for the son he had never had a chance to know. The son that, in Jamie’s eyes, was eight and a half and waiting to be taken from the barren Beta home. And they still had Mary to think about. The little girl was due to be picked up at the end of the week. Would the family be ready for her? Sammy knew the home would happily keep her for a while, but Jamie wanted to have his children with him. Sammy completely understood. They were going to be bringing the girl home, but what kind of atmosphere would they be bringing her into. Sammy hoped they were not still tense, poor Mary would not understand and might even think she was doing something wrong. 

Daniel had moved to sit at the table next to him, he gently took the mouse from his hand and shut down all the medical websites they had found. As the assorted explanations about illnesses and medications disappeared Sammy found it suddenly to be all too much. Daniel put his arms around him, he slipped his arms around Daniel’s waist. 

They sat together holding each other, trying to make some sort of sense out of it all. 

A~B~O

Jamie found Clive sitting on the paddock fence opposite the front of the house. He was facing away. Jamie reached him and leaned his forearms on the top of the fence. He glanced at Clive who did not acknowledge him. The Beta was staring ahead, his expression unreadable. The brown and white speckled horse was on the other side of the paddock slowly walking towards them, nodding its head and snorting.

'I'm not apologising,' said Clive.

'I'm not asking you to,' replied Jamie. 'We were worried about you.'

'Sorry,' Clive said, 'I shouldn't have been derogatory towards you and Danny and Sammy.'

Jamie climbed up onto the fence to sit next to his friend. They were close enough for their shoulders to be touching. 

'I'm sorry I made this about me and not Brian.'

Jamie shook his head, 'no, Clive, you were talking about all Betas.'

Jamie had been shocked by the angry words and insinuations from Clive. He had been shocked to see Clive as angry as he had been. Jamie could not remember a time he had ever seen Clive angry. The Beta male was usually their neutral family member, the one that talked sense into them if they had a silly argument. To see the man shouting at Meg had been almost scary. Meg had clearly been stunned.

'It's just so unfair,' said Clive. 'It's not my fault or Brian's fault that we're Betas. Why should we be treated differently because we can't contribute to the furtherance of the species.'

Clive sighed. They watched the speckled horse get closer. Clive held his hands out to show the curious beast that he did not have any food. The horse pushed its nose into his palm for a couple of seconds before snorting and stepping away. They watched the horse lower its head to graze the lush grass. 

'Meg's going to stay with Phoebe for a couple of days,' said Jamie. 

Clive nodded, 'will she expect me to be gone by the time she gets back?'

Jamie was not sure how to respond. Clive was an intelligent man, he may not have been thinking straight when he had been shouting at Meg, but he appeared to be considering his future as he sat on the fence. They all knew he had three choices. 

'She won't want you to leave, you know that,' said Jamie. 

'Yeah,' replied Clive, 'and that's just going to make it harder. If she'd said she wanted me to go at least I'd have only had two choices.'

'We knew you were sleeping together. And we were happy for you both,' said Jamie. 'You deserve to be happy after all the things you've done for us.'

Clive had gone back to staring across the paddock.

‘I think you don’t realise how much we appreciate you. You’ve helped us all in one way or another. You’ve offered yourself to us… you’ve offered yourself to us to use. Selflessly. If you hadn’t agreed to act as an Alpha for Sammy that time, we’d have had to get a stranger in to knot him. You kept him going until Danny could get to him. You didn’t have to do that.’

Clive looked down, he picked at a splinter of wood on the fence for a few seconds.

‘I suppose sometimes there is something ingrained in me that makes me think I should offer myself to you. That I should allow Meg to have sex with me…’ he said quietly, ‘some deep psychological thing ‘cos I’m a Beta. A sort of defence thing. If I allow myself to be used, I can keep what little privilege I have…’

He trailed off, Jamie thought he could understand, he knew that all the males were relatively lucky compared to the more conservative countries, but Betas were still the most oppressed. 

‘I know that you all respect me. I know Meg respects me… me as an individual. But I can’t help thinking that she forgets that I’m not the only Beta. I know she does work to help us all… but I also know that she will stand by and let some of the horrific things happen. Like the babies being taken-’

‘But that’s stopped now,’ interjected Jamie.

Clive nodded, ‘I know, but before. It was the law and she didn’t stop it happening to Liam and Sammy, did she?’

Jamie shuddered at the memories of having to hold his Omegas back whilst their babies were forcibly taken.

‘She knows… and she cannot help it… that the breeding sexes are more important. I know she puts Omega and Alpha above even the women, but Beta are still the fourth sex… even to her… She may be in a relationship with me, but I’m one man…’

Jamie put his arm around his friend and hugged him. They remained together on the fence, watching the horse which had wandered a few meters away, still munching at the grass. 

They heard a car engine start behind them, Jamie twisted around to see the Fiat being driven by Daniel appear from the side of the house. Meg was in the passenger seat, they both looked over as they drove passed. Jamie nodded but Clive ignored them. 

‘Don’t rush to decide what to do Clive,’ said Jamie. ‘We need you. And not just as a substitute Omega or Alpha. We need you because you are a valued member of the family. We all love you.’

Clive managed a smile, ‘I know,’ he said. ‘I need some time to calm down and think. That’s why she’s gone. She knows that I would not think straight if she was around. I may hate her at the moment, but she does care about us - males - I know she tries. I guess rather like I feel I have to serve everyone because I am worthless, she cannot get away from the feeling that the species needs to survive at all costs.’

‘Put like that it sounds horrible,’ mused Jamie. ‘But I think you are right. Some things are so deep within us we cannot help it. But we can change them a bit at a time.’

Jamie climbed back off the fence and held out his arm so that Clive could steady himself as he jumped back down. They walked back to the house.

‘I can learn that I’m appreciated for who I am,’ said Clive, ‘and she can learn to ignore those deep-seated prejudices and fight against them. Things are changing, we just have to hope we can keep them changing in the right direction.’

Jamie hoped that Clive was correct. His son might have survived if they all had equal rights, he knew he probably would never know for certain. He felt drained, the last couple of days had involved one shock after another. It annoyed him that their lives had started to settle down and then been upset again. As much as he wanted to wallow in the grief for the little boy he would never get to know, Jamie knew he had to concentrate on the boys that were playing in the back garden. There would be time to mourn, he knew his family would help him when he needed it. They may have been going through another tricky time, but they still looked out for each other. 

Their lives were complicated, but they had each other… Jamie just hoped that would continue to be the case. 

The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed it, despite how horrible I was.
> 
> There will be more... I promise some good things will happen... but there will also be some more horrible stuff.


End file.
